Name: Yesenia (Democrat) qGarcia

Instructions: Now that your group has decided on an issue, you must demonstrate that there is a problem. You will turn in this research sheet, completed with two attached articles, that show that there is a problem.

I. There is a problem in society today. That problem is:

Euthanasia. Euthanasia is doctor-assited suicide, more or less. According to EUTHANASIA.COM, euthanasia provides a way to relieve extreme pain, it provides a way of relief when a person's quality of life is low, it frees up medical funds to help other people, and it is another case of freedom of choice. Because people are being denied the right to choose whether or not they want to die, euthanasia is a problem in society today.


II. Facts that demonstrate that there is a problem are:
(Two articles and bibliography must be attached)

Dr. Jack Kevorkian started a clinic that is meant for people who want to be euthanized, and the clinic also doubles as a hospice. There are not too many places that condone doctor-assisted suicide, but Kevorkian's clinic, Margo Janus Mercy Clinic, does because it supports an individual's right to choose. People who are in extreme pain and people with a low quality of life are being denied means to end their misery. Terminally ill people, and others who opt for euthanasia, take up space in hospitals, mainly because of their extended stays. Euthanasia can help free up hospital rooms, and why should euthanasia be denied for those who want it and know what they are doing? People have the right to choose.The Supreme Court thinks that euthanasia is not a constitutional right, and that it is illegal under common law. Kevorkian appealed the ruling, stating that the Constitution gives people the right to "end intolerable pain, suffering or debilitation." Symptoms of depression are similar to what people feel when they are terminally ill, therefore 95% of those who express the wish for euthanasia change their mind if someone is willing to initially keep his/her opinions to himself/herself and just listen to what a prospective euthanized person has to say. In the end, if people are being denied the right to make their own decisions, especially ones pertaining to their own lives, then there is a problem.

Miscellaneous Information:
Kevorkian Clinic
URL: http://articles.latimes.com/1995-06-27/news/mn-17734_1_jack-kevorkian
Associated Press. "Kevorkian Opens Clinic, Attends 24th Death." articles.latimes.com. LA Times, 27 June 1995. Web. 15 Feb 2011. http://articles.latimes.com/1995-06-27/news/mn-17734_1_jack-kevorkian

Euthanasia Story
URL: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/beginning-the-most-difficult-conversation-of-all/
Carter, Zoe Fitzgerald. "Beginning the Most Difficult Conversation of All." nytimes.com N.p., 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 15 Feb 2011. http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/beginning-the-most-difficult-conversation-of-all/

Euthanasia Pros and Cons
URL: http://euthanasia.com/proscons.html